The Danbury Board of Education Policy Committee has met on the issue of masks in schools and didn't make a recommendation last night.  The full Board of Ed has a meeting scheduled next week, but they might not make a decision at that time.  Board Chair Rachel Chaleski believes it's premature to make a decision without guidance from the state Departments of Education and Public Health, a thought echoed by their medical advisors. 

Policy Committee member Theresa Buzaid says Connecticut has become a nanny state and that they have more important things to think about.  She wants the decision on masking to be left up to parents, not the Board saying it's not their role.  Committee Chair Joe Da Silva responded that it is the Board's role to protect students in schools, manage the schools and provide policy.  He notes that there are other considerations to take into account, which is why the three medical advisors were brought in to discuss how best to do that.

Danbury Health Director Kara Prunty updated the Committee on the current COVID-19 statistics in the City, a 10.8 percent infection rate with 26.7 cases per 100,000. Medical advisor Dr. William Begg, the longest tenured emergency medicine physician at Danbury Hospital, noted that there are currently four people in Danbury Hospital with COVID.  School Nurse Kathy O'Dowd says the number of cases since Winter break has dropped significantly, but there were 13 reported among the school population in the last three days. 

Committee member Michelle Coelho was concerned about the mental health impact of kids continuing to wear masks and believes that should be part of the decision. Begg noted that they are seeing a bump in depression and related cases, but they don't know the exact reason behind that bump.  He acknowledged that it could be in part due to masking, but added that children have lost grandparents and family members lost jobs among other stressors.